A Battle Worth Fighting
by b-w93
Summary: Kinda AU: Emma is a soldier in the US army and her absence is slowly killing Regina, will a surprise return heal all wounds?


**Disclaimer - I do not own ouat or its characters. Just a quick one shot inspired by a gifset that I saw on tumblr. My url is timefortelevision if you're at all interested.**

For Regina Mills loneliness was an endless, unceasing emotion, the kind of loneliness where actually being alone was where she felt most comfortable, because for her, being surrounded by people meant being surrounded by people who hated everything she was, and that was the most lonely feeling of all. Life for Regina in the Enchanted Forest was cruel, and life in Storybrooke was nothing short of boring. 18 years of repetitive, tedious living, 10 years spent trying to prove her worth to a child who only pushed her away a little more with each day that he grew. And on that final day where he broke away to find his 'real mom', unbeknownst to him, and even to her for a while, he gave her the biggest gift she could have imagined; Emma Swan.

In finding Emma Henry believed things would change, his 'real mom' would want him, would choose him over anything else. And Emma tried, for a while she really tried, but the war in Afghanistan was escalating and America needed its soldiers, and fighting for the country ultimately meant fighting for Henry. Henry missed her. But Regina missed her more.

For the year that Emma had spent in Storybrooke with Henry, Regina's loneliness had disappeared, the emptiness she had felt for her entire existence was filled with the love that she felt for Emma but upon her departure, it was that same love that almost crippled her. After the loss of Daniel she had vowed never to love again, and in loving Emma Swan she had failed. If only Cora could see her now, what she would say; "wasn't it enough that you had one love ripped away dear? Now you allow your true love to risk her life willingly? You won't survive this dear, the fear of losing this love will kill you before she even returns, if she ever does."

Every second that Emma spent in combat, Regina spent in fear. Their weekly skype calls were the only things keeping her sane, and with every one that passed she'd have the same thought; "one week closer to her coming home". But it was by the 16th week that she finally broke down. Emma had noticed Regina's deterioration, week by week she was getting thinner, paler, and Henry had noticed it too, he looked exhausted, worn down by the fear that he would lose both his moms. So it was by week 13 that Emma had decided to request leave, to return home even if for a short period of time. Arrangements were to be made, and 3 weeks later Emma was driving past the Welcome to Storybrooke sign she had always hated, right up until that moment.

Emma had no doubt that her surprise return would have quite a reaction, so leaving her bug a block away to avoid spoiling her entrance was an obvious choice. However what she didn't expect was to walk to the front gate only to witness Regina under her beloved apple tree, lying broken. This woman wasn't the one she had left, she looked defeated, like her soul was crushing her from the inside.

Emma's approach was agonisingly slow, unsure what she was going to do or say. She had gotten to within a foot of Regina before she stirred from her sobbing, having sensed a presence. Taking one last breath before opening her eyes to face whomever had come to judge her Regina replaced her stone mask and flickered her eyes open. Just as quickly as that mask was placed it was shattered, every possible emotion graced Regina's features over the next moments and the previously broken woman was suddenly whole again.

Gathering herself from her heap on the floor Regina stood facing Emma, tears of relief, joy, happiness streaming down her face, and in that second all Emma could think to say was "Hi". The simplicity of it was perfect, it was how their first meeting had begun, and how the final reunion was to end because from the second Emma had approached the gate and seen Regina she knew she wouldn't be returning to the war. Fighting for her country wasn't worth not fighting for her family.

Stepping forward and on to one knee Emma withdrew a box from the pocket of her uniform; "Regina Mills, I know the vows are supposed to be said at the wedding but I want to say them now. I vow to always love you. I vow to always cherish you. I vow to always protect you. I vow to leave out the part where I say I will always find you. But most of all, I vow never to leave you, never, ever again. Marry me Regina, make me the happiest girl alive."

While Emma had been talking the smile that adorned Regina's face broke in to the most beautiful laugh, clutching at her stomach Regina nodded her head vigorously. Whether the laugh was due to shock, her overwhelming love, or at how well Emma had truly broken down all the walls she had spent so long building, or a combination of them all Regina wasn't sure, but what she did know for sure was that she had finally found her happy ending.


End file.
